The present invention is directed to a plated component and, more particularly, to a plated component used in an outdoor environment.
In order to achieve light weight and a high-quality appearance, fishing components, bicycle components, and other components that are intended to be used in an outdoor environment often are made from an aluminum alloy, a magnesium alloy or a synthetic resin with resin plating. In a component made of aluminum alloy, the component usually is molded using a die-cast forming or squeeze-cast forming. These types of forming processes allow complex shapes to be formed at low cost. Where such forming processes are used, a large quantity of silicone is added to the aluminum alloy in order to increase the flowability of the molten aluminum. An Alumite coating is often formed over the surface of the aluminum alloy component in order to increase the corrosion resistance of the component and to improve its appearance. In a component made of a magnesium alloy, an anodic oxide coating often is formed on the surface of the component in order to improve corrosion resistance, and a corrosion-resistant coating is further formed on the surface by painting or by some other method. In a component made of synthetic resin, a coating often is formed on the surface of the component using a physical deposition method such as ion plating or sputtering.
When aluminum alloy is used to form the component and a large amount of silicone is added to the aluminum, flow marks become conspicuous or the color becomes gray. These features tend to dull the surface color. Even if cutting is carried out in order to prevent such effects, it is difficult to control the cutting process. As a result of such cutting, flow marks are still apparent after an Alumite coating is applied, and the luster of the surface changes at the border between chilled layers and non-chilled layers. Consequently, even where an Alumite coating is used, a high-quality external appearance with a metallic luster is difficult to obtain in a variety of colors.
When a magnesium alloy is used to form the component, any anodic oxide coating becomes white, green or brown depending on the anodic oxidation process used. As a result, it is difficult to obtain a metallic appearance for the alloy material, and high-quality external appearance with a metallic luster is difficult to obtain in a variety of colors. One possible countermeasure that attempts to prevent this phenomenon is to form a chrome coating on top of the anodic oxide coating via physical deposition and then apply decorative paint over the chrome coating. While a metallic luster can be obtained from the chrome coating, the desired hardness is not achieved because of the painted surface, and the surface is susceptible to damage.
When a synthetic resin is used to form the component, because metal plating is formed on the surface of the resin component, the surface color is limited to the color of the plated metal. Here as well, it is difficult to obtain a high-quality, lustrous metal appearance in a variety of colors.